Steve Yzerman shares vision for 2023-24 Red Wings season

Steve Yzerman made a triumphant return in April of 2019 to the Detroit Red Wings, who he led and captained for over two decades during his legendary playing career - though he was sure to add the caveat to the energized fan base who had grown tired of the hampering moves made by former GM Ken Holland that his process was going to be anything but a quick fix. 

During his five seasons on the job, he's overhauled nearly entire roster as well as restocked what was an almost completely bare prospect cupboard, and while there have been plenty of improvements, Detroit still finds themselves mired in a lengthy postseason drought. Are all of the new figures on the team that he's added this summer going to be enough to push them over the edge and capture their first postseason spot since 2016? 

According to Yzerman, while the team certainly isn't "perfect", it's much "deeper" than this time last year.

"We’d like to think that we’ve addressed a lot of needs,” said Yzerman during an Ilitch Sports + Entertainment colleague gathering at Little Caesars Arena. “Are we perfect? No. Are we better? I’d like to think we’re better, at least when we look at the team and say this is a deeper team." 

“It’s a challenge every night,” he continued. “I think competitive athletes and people enjoy the challenge. You go out there, get beat and want to go back on the ice again the next night. It’s going to make us better in the long run.”

And with the upcoming 2023 NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Yzerman and the Red Wings are looking forward to catching a glimpse of some of the younger players in the system. 

“We’ve got kids anywhere from 18 to 24 (years old),” Yzerman said. “It’s a huge difference. The 24-year-olds are physically developed. A majority of the 18-year-olds are young and not as strong. So we just watch to see where they’re at. We get a chance to see three other organizations’ prospects as well, so we do a little bit of scouting.”

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